Alternative names for "ZYX UNIverse" cartridge

I think the amplitude of the signal generated depends only upon the number of turns of wire, the strength of the magnetic field, and the distance between them.

True. Of course the distance between them is a function of how far and fast the coils are displaced by a groove modulation. Now if coil A is has greater inertial mass than coil B...

Yeah, but the difference in mass between silver and copper is rather negligible, AND conductivity of silver is better by about the same amount, SO IF conductivity has any bearing on it, then one could wind a silver wire coil with correspondingly fewer turns of wire than a copper one with similar output. Ergo, the two parameters (density and conductivity) would cancel each other in terms of mass. But this gets back to my not knowing whether conductivity has a linear effect on the system. And my being too lazy to find out.

I am not gifted with Paul's hypersenses, but I do hear a very slight sonic character to MI cartridges that I do not hear with MM or MC. It does not make me wince, and I never roll my eyes; it hurts. However, there are distinguishing characteristics between MM and MC, as well. The very best MI cartridges I have heard... are very very good. I just search for what I like regardless of the technology. It's endless fun of a masochistic kind. But maybe a ZYX UNI will be my Holy Grail or Nirvana or just get me through the night (Frank Sinatra credit).

"... endless fun of a masochistic kind."

Rather like posting on internet forums!

Dougdeacon, I just got the same ZYX mark 2 like you. How many hours did it take to open up the sound of this cartridge? I am at 1.85 grams and find right now that my VTA is much higher than parallel to sound good. I have owned other ZYX and they too needed time to open up. Thanks, Jeff

Lewm- I don't have nearly your experience or expertise in analog in general or carts in particular, but aren't most of the metrics that Doug was talking about (speed, micro-dynamics, clean leading and trailing edges) have more to w responsiveness to the groove modulations than to the the amplitude of the cart's output, so from the standpoint of pure physics, I am going w Doug's theory about less mass and thus lower inertia. Of course, that might not apply to macro-dynamics. Maybe a cart designer like Jcarr or someone w experience cutting record masters like Atmasphere will chime in.